Thank you, beevik, for this post! Thanks to you, I now have VOD working with my Roamio.

I called Comcast two previous times and they told me the Tivo VOD service wasn't available in my area. I checked the Tivo website and low-and-behold, my ZIP code showed up as service not available. I was very puzzled by this as all of the cities around me had VOD, the VOD menu showed up, and I could start playing shows but they would freeze after a few seconds. So first problem is that the Tivo website is not up-to-date.

Today I tried Comcast chat support after coming across this post. I described the problem as stated above, namely that everything works except for VOD, and I believe a billing code needs to be added or changed. He said he added the billing code but still no luck. Then I called the cablecard support line. She told me that the billing code was added correctly but that she also needed to update the Tivo model I had. I previously was using a Tivo HD with the cablecard before upgrading to the Roamio. I tried again and still no luck with VOD.

Finally, she sent an activation signal to the cablecard, and waited for a confirmation signal. Once she received that signal, she told me to change some channels. I noticed that the channel had been reset to channel 1. She then told me to test VOD. It worked! She also noted it will take up to an hour for the cablecard config to download, so in some cases it may take an hour to start working.

Lourdes knew *exactly* what the problem was. Claimed she is very familiar with it. She noticed that there was a truck roll scheduled and asked if it was about this VOD problem. I said yes, and she told me that the truck roll wasn't necessary, she said she just had to add the "Tivo Premier CableCard Activity Code" to the account, and it would work fine. Fantastic, I found the person I was looking for!

However, it isn't over yet. She couldn't find the code. It "wasn't available" on my account. She tried to add it manually. It didn't work. She didn't know what makes it appear on an account. She thought maybe it was regional. Except, I explained, that this was working fine a week or so ago... At that point, I pressed her on how we could escalate this issue to find out what makes that "activity code" appear on an account. She said she would transfer me to the "billing department." Oh no. Here we go again. She then claimed that this was a special "cable card billing department", not the one I'm used to dealing with. So, here I am again...On hold, waiting for the "billing department" to pick up the phone. So far, this call has been exactly 41 minutes long. (complete coincidence that I documented the last one at 42 minutes!).

Unfortunately, the only thing I've learned at this point is that THERE IS a person at the cablecard hotline who understands this problem, and the information we've had all along is correct. How to make that happen for my account is still elusive. We'll see what happens when billing answers the call.

Lordes lied also. When the billing department picked up, she wasn't there. I asked the rep if anyone had spoken to them before me. He said that there was a note on my account that simply said "Tivo VOD freezes." He didn't know what a Tivo was, and didn't know a damn thing about cable cards. I cut my loses at 65 minutes total.

Now the big question is this...What is it about my account that makes the special "Tivo Premier Cable Card" activity code not show up as an option anymore?...I'm at a loss as to how to figure this out, so I've reached back out to the executive support ("we_can_help") but haven't heard back yet.

Here is information I didn't see mentioned which was the apparent difference for success in my case.

I called the number listed in an earlier post and went through the actions mentioned by others. The CSR was aware of the problem, but the fixes mentioned before weren't solving the problem, until she tried one thing different.

She had been sending the signal to my cable card using a web based interface which failed. On a hunch, she used a different system to send the signal which worked! She explained that they have 2 systems to send signals to the cable cards. The web based system didn't work. The program application did.

My guardian angel at "we_can_help" who has the (fantastic, IMHO) name of "Genesis" has cracked the case.

The only code she could find was something like "Tivo side car" (I'm hoping to get confirmation of the exact rate code). This isn't the "Tivo Premier Cable Card" code we've heard about before. She tried adding it, but there was no difference. However, she really has very little (no) experience with cable cards, so she dug a little deeper and found out that she needed to "hit" the card with this new information. I knew that from all of the dealings with these things, and just presumed that they know that any time they change a rate code associated with a cable card that they have to send it a hit.

She figured out how to send the hit, and it worked!

Hopefully, she spreads the word on how to make this happen more smoothly for others.

I've tried the regular support line, CableCard line, and the chat several times so far with no success even after referring to the codes mentioned here.

Today, I called their regular support line (1-800-COMCAST) for something else and while waiting for a device reboot, the rep asked me if I had any other questions for him and I told him about the freezing VOD issue. He said "I think I can fix that" and he did!! I asked him how he did it and he said the product needed to be added to my account

I've tried the regular support line, CableCard line, and the chat several times so far with no success even after referring to the codes mentioned here.

Today, I called their regular support line (1-800-COMCAST) for something else and while waiting for a device reboot, the rep asked me if I had any other questions for him and I told him about the freezing VOD issue. He said "I think I can fix that" and he did!! I asked him how he did it and he said the product needed to be added to my account

I still can't believe the CableCard line didn't know how to do this..

I hope this ends up being the definitive answer. I rec'd my Roamio and Minis on Thursday, have the same VOD freezing issue. Called tech support, card was refreshed a few times, restarted the Tivo, no luck. Will call again tonight, the consensus seems to be the Tivo Premiere code needs to be `added' to the account, it's a `sidecar'? Does this code show up on the bill as 0.00? I ask so I can clarify this to the Comcast rep.

I now believe that my note above that the code "Tivo Sidecar" is incorrect. When they added that code, they also "unpaired" my cable card...which made VOD WORK!

As soon as they re-paired my card (to make HBO work again), VOD started freezing again.

The elusive "Tivo Premiere" code seems to be what is required...except no one can find that code to add it to my account. I'm waiting until after the holidays to call the executive support line again. The cablecard hotline has tried multiple times rebuilding my acount, and sending a hit to the cablecard. No luck (even though the "sidecar" code is still on the account).

I now believe that my note above that the code "Tivo Sidecar" is incorrect. When they added that code, they also "unpaired" my cable card...which made VOD WORK!

As soon as they re-paired my card (to make HBO work again), VOD started freezing again.

The elusive "Tivo Premiere" code seems to be what is required...except no one can find that code to add it to my account. I'm waiting until after the holidays to call the executive support line again. The cablecard hotline has tried multiple times rebuilding my acount, and sending a hit to the cablecard. No luck (even though the "sidecar" code is still on the account).

About two months ago I re-paired a Cable Card on Comcast using the CC number, and they wanted to know what model TiVo I was using, I asked why and the person told me they now have different codes they use to get VOD to work depending on the TiVo model.

After dealing with this issue for at least two months, I firmly believe it all comes down to the person you are working with. After many, many attempts through calls and chat, I finally spoke to a representative that knew what they were doing, or knew what specifically needed to be done.

I wish all those going through this the best of luck.

VOD still working great here in the KC market.

Edit: In my case, I did not speak with a rep from billing or the cable card phone number. It was (I'm assuming) a "general" tech representative.

In my case, I HAVE spoken to someone who knew exactly what the problem was (is). She claimed to have dealt with it many times before. She said "Oh, I just have to add the Tivo Premier code to your account, okay if I put you on hold?"

She came back and claimed that the system would not allow her to apply the code (she couldn't find it in the list of available codes.) She had never seen this problem, and I've been "stuck" ever since... (I should mention that before they rebuilt my account due to billing errors, I went through this same routine, and VOD worked perfectly for about a week [the Premier code was visible, and they added it], it was only after they rebuilt the account that this code became invisible to them...)

Continuing on my saga for those who are interested --- it has a happy ending.

Chatted with `Catherine' online yesterday and she sent my issue to the `escalation team' and said she'd try to refresh my cable card and work it at her end, has no clue about codes or Tivos. At about the same time, not coincidentally I suspect, I lost phone and internet at home, but not TV! Phone came back after I got home from work, called tech support for internet after rebooting the modem didn't work and talked to `Eva' in Houston.

Doubt there's a way, but find her if you can, she's great. She refreshed and fixed my modem, I asked her to transfer me to someone that could help with cablecard/Xfinity VOD, she put me on hold, came back, and said `I fixed it'. And she had. Said she added the Tivo Premeire code to my account.

I was just on the phone with Tivo to transfer my lifetime S3 that I sold on ebay. After we finished with that, I asked the rep if she had any insight into this problem. She told me that Tivo and Comcast are both aware of the issue, and are working on it as a very high priority issue (hah!).

But, the most interesting thing she mentioned is that it is a Roamio only problem...It doesn't happen on the premieres. That was very interesting to me (if true).

I called the Comcast 877 cable card number yesterday to pair my cablecard with my new Roamio with this issue in mind. FWIW, the CSR seemed pretty knowledgeable and said he had already set up the correct billing code when I asked about it. He must have, because VOD is working fine without any issues.

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I don't mean to thread steel but I have noticed something similar with the TIVO app where the screen goes blank for a few seconds (Audio is fine). The video will then come back. It's almost like the bit rate is not being sustained and Netflix cannot deres to support it.

Anybody seen this and is it related. The input is different but the output is the same.

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I don't mean to thread steel but I have noticed something similar with the TIVO app where the screen goes blank for a few seconds (Audio is fine). The video will then come back. It's almost like the bit rate is not being sustained and Netflix cannot deres to support it.

Anybody seen this and is it related. The input is different but the output is the same.

This is completely unrelated. Please start a new thread for this topic.

I attempted all the steps listed above last week - got a rep after three calls and 90 minutes who claimed they applied the "Tivo Premiere" account, and unapplied it and reapplied it. No joy. Truck roll happening later today. If anybody would like to tell Comcast about the issue and how they got it solved - here's the VOD thread on Comcast. I started a thread called Tivo Roamio not working with Comcast On Demand (freezing after 6 seconds).

I had basically the same story as everyone... talked to several clueless Comcast CSRs, chatted with them, repaired CC, set other codes, even had one tell me that XOD is not supported for Roamio. Then found the one CSR who had a clue, and using the exact quote from webcrawlr's post, had it fixed in 3 minutes.
Thanks!

I have a truck roll scheduled for tomorrow. Because, at this point, that's all Comcast is offering to do. I'm almost certain that it will be a waste of time, but at this point I've already spent about 40 hours on this problem (most of it waiting on hold). Fingers crossed.

A friend of mine had a similar problem. It turned out that he had the lowest tier comcast service available which does not include On Demand.

I do not have the lowest tier, and when I had the Comcast DVR (which I turned in when I got the Roamio) VOD worked fine. In fact, VOD had worked fine on my Roamio...until they "rebuilt" the account due to some erroneous billing.